A better question: Where are you shopping? I've always wanted to shop on E. Johnson -- everytime I drive to Milwaukee, I drive past all these eclectic looking shops and think "I've got to stop here someday." Never do.

I do like Monroe Street, although the whole character of the street is changing as the U. S. S. Condo is planted were Ken Kopps used to be. My God! That building is large! I wonder what Trader Joe's will do to the shopping experience on Monroe Street. I still pine for the loss of Seedsavers, especially on a day like today, tailor-made for gardening.

Hi. I'm back. We drove all the way to Chicago to shop, mainly to get my son some things to wear at his summer job. But I did get a couple things myself. No shoes. I bought shoes when I was in Boston and had access to my favorite shoe store: Arche. This is the shoe brand I endorse. Since you're so curious, I'll say that I bought 3 pairs of black pants and 3 silk tops, 2 white and 1 black. And I spent $100 at Sephora, where it is usually fun to spend money.

As to the house/condo transaction, nothing has happened yet. I may end up staying in my house if the market doesn't give me what I want. There are tons of beautiful condos going up near the square these days. I'll move if and when I get the price I want on my house.

Four hours round trip seems like alot, but it really isn't. (Google Earth says five hours? Google Earth can blow me.) If you've driven cross country in three or four days, nothing under five hours is a big deal. Angelenos do the Vegas run pretty regularly over the weekend. (Door to door, ten to twelve hours round trip for most people. I can do it in seven.)

A hundred bucks at Sephora? Did you buy any perfume, or get a chance to sample any new ones? I remember you said you wore YSL Paris (a good perfume, by perfumer Sophia Grojsman). I also remember recommending some here once but I don't remember what they were.

I should do an Althouse perfume that smells of smoked almonds, wine and maybe a woody oak base note, in honor of that tree in your yard that you always mention.

chuck b. said..."So, are you living in a house cleansed of superfluous possessions? If so, is that a big difference for you?"

I'm no longer nagged by the feeling that I need to declutter the place, but since I've had the new burden of keeping it uncluttered for nameless, presumably critical strangers, I haven't had the chance to enjoy it properly. If I take the house off the market, it could be truly mine again. I'm about to hit the end of my contingent deal, which involved a specific condo, and I need to make a decision about what to do next. I'm leaning toward letting the condo go and reembracing the house.

Palladian: No perfume was bought. It's supremely easy to drop $100 on makeup and skin products. (And LOL about the smoked almonds. Nice of you to remember. I'm also fond of smoked turkey...)